Virginia’s trip to Winston-Salem went from bad to brutal in a hurry, and the final line said plenty: a 51-7 loss to Wake Forest that pushed the Cavaliers below .500 for the first time since the 2024 season.
There were a few bright spots buried in the wreckage. Martin came away with nine catches for 119 yards and a touchdown, giving Virginia one real offensive highlight.
Punter Sparks also turned in another strong outing, booting four punts for 192 yards. He’s starting to look like a serious contender for All-American honors and the Ray Guy Award.
Everything else was a grind. Virginia’s offense never found any rhythm, and the game plan didn’t do the Cavaliers many favors.
With Rico Flores Jr., Kam Courtney and Jekail Middlebrook all sidelined by injury, Kitchings said he planned to lean on extra-tight end sets. That approach produced very little, with Virginia tight ends combining for just five receptions and 37 yards.
The run game disappeared, though that was more a product of the scoreboard than a choice. Virginia had to abandon it after falling into a huge early hole.
The bigger issue was the inability to adjust once Wake Forest started bringing pressure. Even when the Demon Deacons sent extra rushers, Virginia kept leaning on progressive dropback passing concepts, and Beau Pribula didn’t get much help from the checkdown game.
On the other side of the ball, the tackling was a mess again. Virginia had chances to bring down Gio Lopez, but he kept slipping free for extra yardage or finding receivers downfield. Wake Forest piled up 309 rushing yards on 51 carries, and six different Demon Deacons picked up a first down or more on the ground.
The numbers across the board were ugly. Virginia managed just 16 rushing yards on 19 carries. The Cavaliers scored only one touchdown, the fourth time that’s happened in their last five games.
Tony Elliott said he thought both Beau Pribula and Eli Holstein threw the ball well. On paper, that may hold up. But Pribula’s performance never looked like the work of a quarterback who had the offense under control, and Virginia never got close to more than a single score.
Away from Scott Stadium, the Cavaliers have now been outscored by an average of 38-14 in four games. That’s the kind of road stretch that leaves no room for sugarcoating, and Elliott again leaned on the same explanation he’s used after other losses. The question now is whether anything actually changes.
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Virginias Season Ceiling May Depend On Ryan Odoms Toughest Calls
Ryan Odom is still sorting through what Virginias basketball rotation will look like as the season draws closer, and that uncertainty is starting to shape the conversation around the Cavaliers ceiling. The roster has enough depth to create real competition for minutes, with transfers and returning players all expected to factor in, but the lineup decisions are far from settled.
The most intriguing battles are still in front of Odom, and they could end up defining how quickly Virginia finds its footing. Several players are pushing for bigger roles off the bench, and the staff is still weighing how those pieces fit together before the rotation takes its final shape. [Read more 🡒]